Questions Words: How Can I Use How?

How is a very useful question word. Let’s look at some of the ways it can be used.

How can I stay healthy?

This question is asking about method—the way you do something. You would answer in this way:You can stay healthy by exercising, by eating well, and by getting enough sleep.

How do you use a public bus?First, you need to buy a ticket. Then, you wait at the bus stop. When the bus comes, you put your ticket in the machine next to the driver. The driver will give you a transfer. When you want to get off the bus, pull the cord. Finally, remember to thank the driver!

How far is it to your house?How + adjective is asking you to say the quantity of the adjective —in this case, distance. You could answer in this way:

It is five miles.

It is a mile and a half.

How big is your room? This question is asking you how much space it has. You could answer:

It’s huge. It’s 200 square feet.

It’s really tiny. It’s not much bigger than a bath tub.

How spicy is the food at that restaurant?
You could answer in this way:

It’s really spicy.

It’s not very spicy.

You can ask the same type of question with an adverb:How quickly do you learn new vocabulary words?
You could answer:

I learn very quickly.

I don’t learn them very quickly.

How long does it take to get to your job each day?“How long does it take to” + verb is asking about the amount of time needed to do something.
You could answer in this way:

It takes an hour.

It takes twenty minutes.

It takes five minutes.

How long does it take to speak English like a native speaker?
You could answer:

It takes years.

It takes a life time.

It takes many months.

How much does it cost to buy a house in your city?“How much does it cost to” + verb is asking about the amount of money needed to buy something.
You could answer:

It costs half a million dollars.

It costs $400,000.

It costs an arm and a leg (a lot!).

How much does it cost togo out to eat?
You could answer:

For one person, it costs about $10.

For a family, it costs around $50.

Notice how the modifiers about and around mean not exactly—maybe more, maybe less.)

How many people do you know who can speak English?How + many/much is asking you about a quantity of a noun.
You could answer:

I know tons.

I know around 5.

I know a few.

Notice how with a plural count noun (people), you use the word many, which is plural, and your answers are also plural: tons, 5, a few.

How much fun do you have each day?
You could answer:

I have a lot.

I have a little.

I have a bit.

Notice how with a non-count noun (fun), you use the word much, and your answers are also non-count amounts: a lot, a little, a bit.

How much do you exercise?How much do you + verbasks you about the quantity of a verb:

I exercise a lot.

I rarely exercise.

I exercise three times a week.

How much do you drink?

I never drink.

I drink about two glasses of alcohol a day.

I drink a lot.

As you can see, “How” questions are very useful. Practice by answering the following questions.